The Bravery - The Sun and The Moon
Although “The Bravery” has changed their sound, they’ve produced a solid follow up album.
Review by Dack

The Bravery’s new album “The Sun and the Moon” is coming a few years after their amazing self-titled debut album. Although the first album didn’t really flow together as good albums usually do, nearly every song was catchy and memorable, making the band rank in my top indie rock bands of 2005. After seeing The Bravery in a great live performance later that year, I knew they were destined for greatness, just as long as they didn’t get the sophomore curse many a great band has fell ill of. Although “The Bravery” has changed their sound, they’ve produced a solid follow up album.

The album begins with “Believe” a slower song with plenty of beats and catchy hooks, very “Bravery” reminiscent; sounding like it could have come out of their debut album. “This is Not the End” is a mediocre song. It lifts a guitar riff from another indie rock band, The Rakes, and the chorus sounds strangely familiar - the end result being a song you can’t dance to, and can’t very well relax to. “Every Word is a Knife in My Ear” is the best track on the album by far, reminding us of other great Bravery songs – particularly “Fearless”. It’s a song you can rock out to. Right after “Every Word” is the first smooth song on the album, “Bad Sun”. “Bad Sun” is a truly great track on the album, with smooth guitar riffs, and a whistled chorus.

The first single of the album, “Time Won’t Let Me Go” isn’t a very good track. It sounds like one of the songs on their debut album I used to skip because it was good but boring. It sounds generic, and I’m not sure why they wanted a slow song as the song to sell CD’s, especially considering this is following the much better similar track, “Bad Sun”. Luckily, most songs on the album are better than “Time Won’t Let Me Go”. A groovy track with synthesizers straight out of the 60’s, “Fistful of Sand” is an interesting and unique song on the album, breaking the monotony “Time Won’t Let Me go” and it’s predeceasing song created. After a few more decent, but filler sounding songs, we are treated to “The Ocean”. This great song is one of my favorite ballet/slow songs of the year. It’s a very beautiful song that is like no song I’ve heard of, and is a perfect way to end the album. I understand The Bravery were going for a more deep sound on this album, and if they would have sounded like they do in “The Ocean” more often, this album would have gone from good to near perfect.

The Bravery is a great band, sounding best when trying to be themselves and not attempting to copy similar bands sound. Their debut album had great catchy tracks, but “The Sun and The Moon” has more complex, but boring songs. The Bravery hopefully will take the best parts of both albums, and create a sensational third album. “The Sun and The Moon” is a good album, but, if you listen to just the three recommended songs on the album, you aren’t missing much else.

Top Songs:
1. Every Word Is a Knife in My Ear
2. The Ocean
3. Bad Sun


Final Score: 7.5/10